Upside down?

I've been looking through lots of great bento photos at flckr lately... Many people use little cups or containers to divide different foods and also for sauces - and many times without a lid. How do you keep your bento box "safe" on the way to work or school? Even if I pack it very carefully mine seems to be more often upside down than not when I reopen my bag to put in the fridge! So I'm curious how often you find that your beautifully packed bento has turned into a big mess? (hopefully not often...!)

I have one large bag and I normally pack other things around it, to keep it upright (book, bag with my glass case and other odds and ends, fruit etc.). But you can also carry your bento in a separate bag if that is easier. I just opt for the one bag approach because more than one bag on public transit can be a bit much with it is crowded and you get jostled around.

Often bento pictures you see online are arranged for the photo and are finished later for transportation (lids put on sauces, frilly lettuce background tucked down, etc.). As said elsewhere, the two-tier slimline bento boxes, tightly packed, don't shift around like the one-tier boxes. They also have a tight lid between the two tiers. Some Japanese dollar stores and online sellers have small plastic sheet covers or lids for loose food (http://www.flickr.com/photos/24506652@N00/346929767/), but you could just as well lay down a piece of plastic wrap between your food and the lid. If your bento box doesn't have a tight lid, be sure to secure it with an elastic band.

I usually use a backpack with a wide, flat stable lid if I am carrying bentos around. I also prefer to use 'slim' type two-tier boxes, held together with a bento band, over flat, wide single-layer bentos (I leave those for the times I carry the bento in the car, or just have it at home). Another tip is to pack your bento as tightly as possible, to prevent your food from shifting around in transit.